Hammers can play with freedom in Stateside clash

There's a clearer air around the Hammers as it inceasingly appears that the Paqueta cloud will pass with the talismanic Brazilian exonerated. More cynical observers await the fine print of any verdict as the FA are likely to try and closecthe door on further legal action by the player and the club.

Meanwhile, it's back to the real business of footy as the Hammers take on Man United in the preseason tournament in the USA. There's no Summerville but newby Diouf starts at left wing back with Walker-Peters on the bench.

interestingly, Nayef Aguerd looks like he can be a big part of the Potter revolution and again starts in a back three with Kilman and Todibo. 

Paqueta is on the bench.

Kick off is midnight. 

COYI!!!

West Ham United: Areola, Wan-Bissaka, Todibo, Kilman, Aguerd, Diouf, Rodríguez, Ward-Prowse, Souček, Bowen ©, Füllkrug

Subs: Foderingham (GK), Herrick (GK), Walker-Peters, Scarles, Mavropanos, Casey, Golambeckis, Potts, Kanté, Irving, Fearon, Paquetá, Luis Guilherme, Cornet, Marshall

 

What on earth are the FA up to?

 

As the Lucas Paqueta case trundles on and on, ever closer to the start of the new season, you'd have to wonder what on earth the FA are up to. 

The 27-year-old talismanic West Ham midfielder  has seen two years of his life taken up by the FA investigation which still has not reached a conclusion. Given the relatively low burden of proof which for this investigation is of ‘probable likelihood’ rather than ‘beyond reasonable doubt’, it is baffling that the investigation remains unconcluded!

Meanwhile, the financial repercussions of this bungled process have been considerable with West Ham missing out on an £80 million transfer, while the ongoing process has clearly affected Paqueta’s on field performances.

It seems clear at this point that this saga will run and run. The FA really should follow this up with a further investigation into their management of this whole process, while it's hard to think that the powers that be at West Ham would not be unreasonable in considering legal action against the FA

who really haven't handled this well. The very fact that the process has dragged on this long suggests that evidence to back the FA allegations is at best and unlikely to be enough to justify the profound impact this has had upon the club and the player himself. 

Meanwhile, it remains ominously silent on the transfer front despite West Ham's clear need to build upon a squad which is currently not well suited to playing within the Graham Potter system.

In short, the whole business has been a total shambles  and it will be a relief for all concerned when we finally get back to playing football!